BOLSOVER: Brass festival champions hang on to their crown

East Yorkshire Motor Services Band led the list of winners at Bolsover District Council’s annual Festival of Brass for the second year on Sunday, October 6.

Around 3,000 people packed into Heritage High School, in Clowne, to see EYMS play and pick up the coveted Championship trophy beating off eight other bands.

Organised by Bolsover District Council, this six section brass festival - with Unregistered, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st and Championship Sections - was a marathon day with a record forty-three bands taking part with each one having to perform a concert programme which included a stand up soloist.

Bolsover District Council Cabinet Member for Arts and Leisure, Cllr Ann Syrett said: “To have over one-thousand seven hundred musicians all in one place at the same time made for an amazing day. We had fantastic music, breathtaking soloists, fabulous performances and a great atmosphere which made sure everyone was thoroughly entertained.

“It’s amazing how many bands enter this competition. This year was the biggest yet, with bands coming from all over the country to take part, making it one of the key brass band competitions in the UK.

“And it’s great to see so many young people involved - playing with such top quality musicians and hearing such excellent performances is a real learning experience for them. It shows that our strong tradition of brass bands is alive and well. My congratulations go to the winners but also to everyone who took part, making it such a memorable day.”

The adjudicators for the day were David Read, David Horsfield and Keith Wilkinson.